From the Moment After
by LeDiz
Summary: As much as I love shonenai PWP's, I've never seen one that ever goes into the after. So, of course, here is the story of what happens from the moment after the climax has faded and reality sinks in... YYY


I've started writing about six different stories. But every time I give up halfway through, because I decide they're absolute fish. HENCE! I'm just picking the only one that was almost finished, gave it half an ending, and behold: The moment after!

****

DISCLAIMER: A joke is a joke, but I have none. So sad for me.

* * *

//Gods…//

"Mm." He agreed quietly as Yami slid back down onto his chest, kissing his Adam's apple. He closed his eyes, content, and slid his hands up Yami's biceps, fingers caressing the muscles gently. "Mmhmm…"

Yami nipped at his jaw line playfully. //Now, answer my question.//

/Which one?/ he asked, lazily.

//Who do I have to thank, and then kill?//

/What?/ he opened one eye to look at him, but Yami was already watching him, eyes strangely hard, considering.

//That was not your first kiss. Or your second.//

Yugi blinked. /Considering the first you just accomplished, Yami, I don't see how it matters./

//Why don't you want to tell me?//

/Because it's not important./

Yami bit down, with just enough force to hurt, on Yugi's shoulder, who groaned in response, twisting his head away. /Ya-mi./

//Tell me.//

/Sorry to disappoint, but it's not a-/ He cut off suddenly, fingers digging into Yami's shoulder.

Yami frowned, looking up at him. //What? What's wrong?//

He was wide-eyed and staring, his mouth working soundlessly.

//Hikari?// He levered himself onto his elbow and turned to look over his shoulder. His eyes widened as the real world came crashing back to him, all starting with the girl staring at them from the doorway.

Ooh… this was… awkward.

He had gotten home fairly early, just after lunch, in time to see Yugi get thwapped over the head with a ladle. It seemed Yugi had almost failed yet another test, and his mother was less than impressed. She'd ordered him to go up and do some homework, and he agreed, only stopping to get an ice cream from the freezer.

It had been the ice cream that set things in motion. It was long and thin, a yellow cylinder surrounded by a purple swirl with a red splodge on top. Yami had remarked that it looked more like a plastic toy than something edible, and was about to start contemplating what it could have been when Yugi stuck almost the entire thing into his mouth.

This wouldn't have been that disconcerting if Yugi hadn't let go of the stick, and proceeded to do his homework, sucking and licking the ice cream until the stick was completely clean. Yami had long ago decided to ignore any and all impulses his hikari stirred up in this room, and although he had to pull a pillow into his lap, he thought he was doing fairly well, himself.

But then Yugi sat back in his chair, looking at the stick thoughtfully as he licked his lips. "I could really do with another one of those…"

All coherent thought stopped at that moment, and didn't start again until Yami had him roughly pinned up against the bookshelf, wondering exactly how Yugi had learnt to kiss like that.

None of this was a problem to Yami… except one minor detail that had suddenly expanded to a huge one.

Yami was supposed to be in a relationship with Anzu, as attributed by the fact he had only just returned from a date with her.

"Anzu," managed Yami, pushing himself up onto his hands. He was suddenly very glad Yugi had moved them into the bed before. This could have been quite the interesting situation without the blanket…

She made a strained attempt at a smile. "Hi."

"Hi." He agreed, slowly rolling off Yugi, who shot up to sitting, staring at her in horror.

"You left your jacket… at the restaurant…" She breathed, holding it up.

"Ah…" He coughed. "Thanks."

She nodded, looking around the room. Her eyes paused on the overturned and slightly broken chair, the shelves lying in complete disarray, and the remains of Yugi's shirt, half the buckles lying across the floor. She nodded slowly, her mind finally beginning to work again.

"Uh, Anzu?" he asked, jerking her attention back to him. "If you could…"

"Oh, right!" She blushed suddenly, dropping the jacket. "Sorry, I didn't mean to… I'll be going."

"If you wait a few minutes, I'll-"

"Bye!" she squeaked, then turned and walked quickly down the hallway.

Well that was… yeah.

She still thought she was thinking incredibly well for some one who had just seen her boyfriend and lifelong best friend in bed together. She had the notion that she was going to break down in very painful sobs the second she got home, but it was only a notion.

"Anzu? Aren't you staying?"

She glanced at Yugi's mother, who had appeared in the doorway, holding an armful of accounting books. She smiled. "No, I've really got to get going. Just had to drop off the jacket."

"Hmm… I suppose it's for the best. Yugi's doing his homework. I swear, that boy gets distracted so easily…"

Anzu found that she didn't have to force the smile on her face. In fact, she had to suppress a hysterical giggle. "Yes," she agreed, turning back toward the door. "See you!"

She hurried past and through the Game Shop, not even pausing as she went through the afternoon crowd. That notion of breaking into tears was becoming a lot more plausible.

Her feet hit pavement and she immediately broke into a run, clutching her bag desperately to her shoulder. Oh God, how could she have been so stupid?!

She should never have even gotten into the relationship! She wasn't sure whether she liked Yami or Yugi… Had just picked Yami because he was more physical… She should have known this was how it would end up! She hadn't even really known for sure whether Yami even liked her! She should have listened to Jounouchi! He told her this would happen! He told her she was just getting in the way!

She should have known she was just setting herself up like this!

"DAMN IT!" she yelled, forcing herself to go faster.

* * *

Yugi let himself sink into the bath, moving very slowly and deliberately.

Since Anzu had run from the room, all his movements had been very slow and deliberate. Except getting out of the bedroom. That hadn't been slow at all.

He wasn't sure what had happened. He'd just been doing his homework! He couldn't understand why…

He blushed, his eyes lowering to watch his feet through the water.

This was… strange.

Up until an hour or two ago, he'd never even thought about what just happened. Not with Yami, anyway. Sure, he'd thought about it with girls a lot… and kind of wondered exactly how it worked with guys, but…

He blushed even further. Well, now he knew, that was for sure.

He looked to the side, biting his lip.

He'd never even thought about Yami like that. He'd always just assumed he liked Anzu and that was that. He supposed he should have considered it… after all, they did sleep in the same bed, and he had woken up more than once to find Yami's arms around him… Not to mention his own limbs twisted around the former spirit in much the same way.

But no, this couldn't be right. Wasn't Yami part of his soul? Literally his other… half… Wait a second… that sounded painfully familiar… He shook his head and leant back against the wall, sighing.

He had always felt different around Yami. A little more… right. He didn't mind saying what he was thinking, and he didn't even think twice before doing anything. He just didn't care. He knew Yami would accept it, and big deal.

But that didn't necessarily mean anything, right?

Yami had always had a tendency to hold Yugi when he was feeling down. It was like hugging a teddy bear, Yugi thought. Just… slightly different. He curled into Yami's lap when either one of them was upset, and not just because of the comfort. He could get comfort from his grandfather. That just wasn't enough sometimes.

When Yami held onto him there was something else. A sort of… balance. One that he couldn't feel anywhere else. Everything just slowed down and he could suddenly understand it.

That was just what Yami did to him.

He groaned, shaking his head again. He needed to sort this out, not lose himself in his thoughts!

He tapped the side of the tub, chewing his lip again. He had never once wondered if that meant anything more. He'd just accepted it as a fact. After all, he was a teenage guy, he spent most of his free time thinking about girls.

But then… he hadn't even thought about wanting to make Yami stop, that entire time.

In fact… he was pretty sure he'd done everything he could to make him keep going…

He blushed again, sliding down in the water. Well, this was an interesting realisation.

"Yargh…" he groaned, splashing the water. "What am I doing?"

All of this was ridiculous! He couldn't feel like this! He wasn't supposed to… whatever this was! If nothing else, Yami was with Anzu! He was happy with Anzu! No way would he just drop everything and…

Oh god… Oh no… Oh, this was really bad.

Somehow, he must have made Yami think… so all this was his fault…

"ARGH! Yugi, what've you done?" he cried, and dunked himself under the water, cursing himself for an idiot.

He'd screwed things up with Yami and Anzu, and probably himself and Yami while he was at it! What if Yami didn't want what he'd just done, and was just doing it because he thought that was what Yugi wanted?

He wouldn't put it past him. He'd done this sort of thing before. Well, not this exact sort of thing, but he'd just assumed and acted, thinking Yugi wanted whatever he was doing…

He shot up to sitting with a gasp, eyes wide. "Dammit…"

* * *

Yami looked particularly smug as he strode into the Game Shop, trailing his hand along the shelves.

Sugoroku nodded at him. "Good afternoon, Yami."

"Yes," he said, smirking. "It is that…"

Sugoroku frowned, watching as he moved to the stack of board games. There was something different about him. "You seem to be in a good mood,"

He turned, the smirk fighting to become a grin. "Do I? How strange."

A few moments passed as Yami rifled through the games he could get to, and Sugoroku watched him, apprehensive. "Are you looking for something in particular? I seem to remember Yugi telling you he couldn't afford to buy any more games."

"What he can afford and what he has the resources to buy are entirely different things," He said, and waved him off with a smirk. "Do we have any games for two? I wanted to challenge him, tonight."

"Another session of protégé?" he asked blandly.

Since becoming solid, Yami had started trying to further Yugi's skills at games even further, something which irritated his mother to no end. Yugi had tried to explain how it was some sort of an 'heir' thing, but for some reason that just wasn't working in his favour.

Yami coughed, but Sugoroku could have sworn he was covering a laugh. "No, no… he's already had that lesson, today…" he turned back to the shelf, though it looked like he was just hiding a smile to the old man. "This is something new… to see what he's… learnt."

Sugoroku put his chin in his hand, watching him. There was definitely something different. He seemed more… relaxed. More at home than he ever had, though he'd been living with them for over six months now. His stance wasn't as stiff as usual. He was almost slouching, in a regal sort of way. Even the smirk was different than usual. More like the cat that ate the canary, rather than one who was conniving to do so.

He wondered if it had anything to do with Anzu. He'd seen her come in, but in the afternoon rush, he'd missed her exit. Maybe she was still here?

He rolled his eyes. That would make sense. Yami and Anzu had done… whatever they'd done… forcing Yugi out of the bedroom, and Yami was trying to make up for it. "He responds to chocolate better."

"Hm?" he asked, turning again.

"Yugi. He'll forgive anything if sugar is involved."

Yami blinked, the smirk slipping from his face in confusion.

"You want to apologise, don't you?"

"Apologise?"

He nodded. "On the rare occasion I've found myself after Yugi's forgiveness, I've found it rather hard to completely achieve. Chocolate and coke can easily remedy any misgivings."

"Yes, but-" Yami frowned. "Why would I want to apologise to Yugi?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You mean this isn't about Anzu's visit? I haven't seen him since, I just assumed…"

"I-" he stopped, all traces of the smug look disappearing. He looked to the side, brow furrowing.

Sugoroku blinked. The sudden change in demeanor was rather drastic, a sudden return to the aloof pharaoh. "Yami?"

"What? Oh, no, I'm fine, Grandpa…" he said, offhand, looking up at the door. He looked at him quickly, before starting back into the flat. "Do you have the time?"

"Almost five."

"Alright. Don't call us for dinner." He ordered absently. "If we're there, we're there."

And Sugoroku suddenly found himself alone again, staring blankly at the door, wondering exactly what had just happened.

* * *

He hurried up the stairs, hand trailing along the banister.

He hadn't even considered why Yugi was taking so long. Yes, he understood that Yugi needed to think, and sort this through, but an hour?

He sighed out in relative annoyance. Knowing Yugi, he was probably blaming himself for any and all reactions Anzu could be having.

He raised his fist to knock on the door, but his knuckles stopped an inch from the wood.

There was also another possibility…

No, that was ridiculous! Yugi hadn't pushed him off, or seemed in the least bit afraid of what happened… until he… stopped… No, after the first few minutes, he'd started clawing at him, as well. To even suggest that Yugi didn't want… It was insane!

Of course… Yugi had been known to do things he hadn't wanted to, before. And seem to enjoy them, when really… He couldn't lie to save himself, but he could act with the best of them.

He scowled. No. This was one time he knew for sure. Yugi felt the same way, always had. He was certain of it.

He rapped his knuckles against the door. "Aibou? Aibou, are you in there?"

"No," said a quiet voice behind him. "I came out a few minutes before."

Yami turned and smiled, catching sight of Yugi, clad in his thickest and largest pair of pyjamas, standing in his doorway with his arms folded over his stomach.

"I was starting to wonder if you were trying to drown yourself," replied Yami, reminding himself that he wasn't serious.

"No, I wasn't in the bath for long," he held up his hand, showing soft, unpruned fingers. "I was just thinking."

He nodded, crossing to lean against his doorway. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay,"

He raised an eyebrow, and Yugi blushed.

"Okay, as in, less than fine." He chuckled sheepishly and turned inside, avoiding his gaze completely. "I'm just kind of sore, that's all."

"I imagine," he said, following him in. He paused, hand on the door. "Between… one thing and a bookcase…"

Yugi smiled at the weak joke. "Guess we weren't really thinking things through, huh?" He stopped beside the chair, turning back to him with a breath. "The shock, I guess."

He didn't bother to return the smile, watching him carefully. A moment passed, and he shook his head, turning to shut the door behind himself. "You didn't think this would happen?"

"To put it mildly…" He murmured, then quickly bent down, pulling the chair back to its proper place. "In fact, it was pretty much the last thing I was expecting."

"Because of Anzu."

"Because of everything." He said, slowly sitting down. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together in thought. "Anzu… have you talked to her yet?"

He shook his head, leaning back against the door. "I haven't really thought about her."

"Are you going to?"

"Of course. I just had… other things on my mind."

"What are you going to tell her?" he asked, turning away.

He paused, his eyes slowly rising to look at him. "That is the question."

They fell silent, and Yugi leaned back, looking up at the window. He didn't want to face Yami when he got around to saying what he had to.

"What do you want me to tell her?"

Dozens of possibilities sped through Yugi's mind, but he just bit his lip, keeping his eyes on the sky. Yami moved, and he rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. "Yami, why- um…"

"Why?" he prompted, moving closer. "Why what?"

"Why did-" he cut off again, sitting up. He rubbed his face with one hand before resting his chin in his palm, looking at Yami's shoulder. "Yami, I… I love you, you know that."

He smirked, nodding. "I should hope so."

"Yeah…" he smiled half heartedly. "So um… and you feel the same, right?"

He sighed in relief and moved forward, kneeling down with one hand on Yugi's knee. "Hikari, you are everything to me, you know that."

"Yeah, but…" he shook his head, eyes still focussed somewhere above his head. "Before today… before lunch, even… how did you think I meant that?"

He frowned, leaning back slightly. "What?"

He pulled out of his grasp, standing to cross the room. He folded his arms across his stomach, gazing at the mess that had once been known as a bookcase. "Before today, I always knew you… you cared about me… but you're in love with Anzu… so…"

He raised an eyebrow, watching his back with a blank stare. This was not progressing as he'd imagined…

"I know you hate me having to ask you for stuff… I know you… you try and do what I want before I can, and… and…" He took a breath, cursing himself. Why couldn't he ever just say what he meant?

He leant one arm on the chair, the other balancing on his knee. "Hikari, what are you trying to say?"

"Okay, to put it out there." He turned around, suddenly all business and direct. "Before today, I had never even imagined you would even look at me as anything but your friend, hikari, and student. And aside from noticing the fact you could probably seduce a frog if you tried hard enough, I never even considered you as anything but my friend, Yami and teacher."

Yami blinked, the entire dashed out speech leaving him a little confused.

"I mean, yeah, you were always more than that, I guess, because hell, I'm not about to tell even Jou my deepest secrets and fantasies, but with you it didn't matter, I knew you'd still like me. But… the fact remains that I had never once even contemplated imagining what we did today."

He blinked again, all smiles fading. This… was probably not a good sign…

"So if all that happened because you thought that was what I was secretly asking for… I should tell you, it… it wasn't." he finished, lamely. He blinked, unimpressed with his own words, but unable to think of anything to add.

Yami closed his eyes, jaw clenching. So this was rejection… it wasn't that great, really. He sighed inaudibly, eyes opening slightly. Amun Re and Hathor be damned… And he'd been so sure, too… He hadn't even hesitated the entire time… neither of them had… but then how… why had…? He raised his eyes to meet Yugi's apologetic gaze.

"Aibou."

He cringed. "Yeah?"

"Are you lying to me?"

He blinked, then shook his head blankly.

"Are you sure?"

He bit his lip, shoulders rising uncertainly.

Yami sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. This was getting him nowhere. "Hikari, I couldn't fail to notice you didn't try to stop me."

His eyes slid to the side as his arms tightened around himself. "I… I um…"

"I ask you again, and I want you to answer me truthfully. When you say it wasn't what you wanted, are you lying to me?"

He took a breath, keeping his eyes averted. "I hadn't even considered it."

"So why didn't you stop me?"

He frowned silently, leaning back against the shelves.

"Answer me," he ordered, his voice low.

Yugi swallowed, slowing raising his eyes to meet his gaze. If he told Yami what he thought… he'd… but wait, no, what was he thinking?! "Yami, you're with Anzu! You love Anzu, you- the two of you had a date today! We bought her a solid silver necklace for you to give to her just two days ago!" he cried, eyes finally coming back to meet his gaze. "You-! You're the king of games! The pharaoh! I'm just… how-! You're with Anzu!"

He raised an eyebrow, smirk slowly returning. He was beginning to understand, now.

"You're my yami! You're not supposed to-! I'm definitely not supposed to-! We aren't supposed to have done that! It does _not _work, and this _not_ what happens, and I don't get it!" His arms came flying out, waving frantically. "You're my friend, and guardian, and… and… _yami_, and… this morning I couldn't see you as anything else, but now I can, because you've been something else and now I keep thinking about it, and argh! How could we have done that?!"

Yami cleared his throat, eyes moving away playfully. "Would you like me to explain in detail, Hikari?"

"That is _not_ funny!"

He chuckled, glancing back at him. "You make strange faces when you're confused, you know that?"

"Focus, Yami," said Yugi, now yanking on his hair slightly.

"You also get very emotional. Which is strange, because only moments ago, you were having trouble saying anything at all."

He gave him a look, to which he just smirked.

"So let me just… outline this, so I know I understand," said Yami, rising to his feet. "When you used your hikari-ian wiles to seduce your poor, naïve and unsuspecting yami this morning, you were, in fact, completely unaware that you were manipulating my poor, defenseless and ultimately suppressed emotional state?"

"I-!" Yugi stopped, mid-yank, his eyes going wide. "What?"

He made a shushing motion, still walking forward. "And although you had originally never thought any of your feelings toward me meant anything more than a close friendship, when put to the question, you found them well beyond the realms of said relationship?"

Yugi straightened, staring at him blankly.

"However, being the elusive hikari that you are, you're making an attempt to slip away by using my misled feelings for Anzu as a reason. And as added cover, you use our former titles as further evidence, while in fact, they do nothing but strengthen my reasoning."

"Mis… led?"

"Hikari…" he breathed, leaning over so his arms could rest on the shelves either side of Yugi's back. "Tell me, when you crave winter on a hot day, what do you reach for?"

He licked his lips again, tilting his head back to look him in the eye. Not that he was complaining, but Yami was decidedly close… "A um… An… ice cream…?"

"That's exactly right, aibou. Not that it's fair on the ice cream to be used in such a fashion, but at the time it seems the most logical course of action, you see?"

"Well… you can't just… get winter, it's at a very… specific time of year…" his stuttered, blinking furiously. "And besides… you hate winter, remember?"

Yami blinked, leaning back again. "Okay, bad analogy. But you do see my point."

"Un- hm…" he nodded, blinking uncertainly. "So… Does this mean…"

He bobbed his head to the side. "It means what you want it to believe."

"But I can't just-"

"You," he said firmly, looking at him. "Can do anything, hikari. It's up to you. However, be assured that should you say no, you will be missing-" He shot forward, cutting off his words by pressing their lips together. He kept it simple, almost chaste, lifting a hand to cup his jawline, tracing the bone as his lips slipped over and eventually away from Yugi's.

Yugi, eyes closed, leaned forward without meaning to, his lips parting slightly. Yami smirked, but Yugi's eyes didn't open as he licked his lips, savouring the feel. "No fair," he whispered.

"Turnabout is fair play, aibou," he murmured, his fingers sliding up and softly through his hair.

"Saying that is even worse, and you know it." His eyes finally opened half way, gazing at him lazily. "We shouldn't do this."

"Why not?"

"Anz-"

"I will call her in the morning. I will see her tomorrow. I will make sure she understands and beg for her forgiveness."

"You'll beg?" he repeated, disbelieving.

"Ask nicely," he corrected, offhand. "But even if she doesn't… I would give up the world for you, Hikari. One irritating child of a friend is little problem."

Yugi frowned, his hand slowly reaching up to touch Yami's face. His fingers slid slowly over his features, as if memorising every line. "Why?"

"Why not?"

He smiled, his fingers coming to a stop on his lips. His eyebrow quirked up, suddenly amused "Did you call yourself 'naïve' before?"

"I was naïve." He replied, easily. "Still am."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. On the facts about your history. As far as you've told me, I was your first kiss. So… how did such an innocent child as yourself learn how to roll his tongue like that?"

He smirked, rolling his eyes. "Same way everyone else does."

"Which is?"

"Practice,"

Yami's eyes narrowed, but Yugi just laughed, looking away.

"You'll have to tell me eventually." He bent his head closer, and Yugi slipped out of his arms, but he just frowned at him. "So… who was it?"

"Were they."

"What?"

"Plural. Were they."

"WHAT?"


End file.
